How Does An Organization Apply For A Grant?

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Foundation to discuss their organization projects or needs. Foundation staff members are available to provide further details on the grantmaking process and can provide information needed to submit a proposal.

Grant applications are accepted from organizations recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and that serve the greater Muskegon area.

Applications are accepted at specific times each calendar year. Please contact Foundation staff for grant application dates. Applicants must discuss proposal ideas with Foundation staff and receive additional information before submitting a grant application. The grant process takes approximately 3 months from proposal submission to notification on the status of project funding.

Criteria for Grantmaking
Grant applications will be evaluated in part on the following organizational characteristics:

• Staff capacity/organizational capacity to complete project
• Sound fiscal policy and responsible financial management
• Board of Directors and staff composition that reflects the organization’s constituencies and ability to complete the proposed project
• Capacity to measure results and conduct program evaluation
• Evidence of collaboration and cooperation with other organizations where appropriate
• Understanding of and ability to describe the relationship between the proposed project and other services and service providers within the community
• A base of community and organizational financial and program support

Foundation staff and Grant Review Committee volunteers carefully review all applications. The Board of Trustees makes all final funding decisions.

For more information, please call: (231) 722-4538

WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR MUSKEGON COUNTY?

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County was established in 1961 to serve the needs of the people of the greater Muskegon region. From inception, the Fouitizens today and those of the future.

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County accepts and administers gifts from many sources to help meet the needs of the community. Some Foundation grants are discretionary, while other grants are competitive with applications reviewed by independent grantmaking committees. Some grants are made from Funds designated by donors for specific organizations and institutions.

The Foundation serves two important constituencies: support for donors to optimize their charitable interests, and not-for-profit organizations to support a wide range of services that benefit the community.

GRANT MAKING PRINCIPLES

• Core Grantmaking Principles of the Foundation include the following:
• To encourage programs which are collaborative, comprehensive and have potential for sustainability.
• To encourage leveraging and matching grant opportunities from multiple funding sources.
• To provide start up or “seed” funding for innovative projects.
• To focus on the prevention of problems where possible rather than the cure.

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County generally makes one-time grant commitments. Longer term commitments may be considered for initiatives that show exceptional promise for community impact.

FOUNDATION PRIORITIES
The Board of Trustees believes that with limited competitive funds, it is necessary to prioritize where funds can be best targeted to have the greatest impact on the needs and growth of the community.

PROGRAM AREAS OF INTEREST
The following represent priority grant interest areas for the use of Foundation funds:

ARTS

• Provide support for the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts
• Promote quality arts programming that benefits a broad community audience
• Promote and provide access to youth focused cultural programs with emphasis on diverse art forms
• Contribute to the vitality and sustainability of arts organizations and institutions

MUSKEGON DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN RE-DEVELOPMENT

• Support projects that promote downtown re-development
• Provide financial leverage for key community renovation projects
• Contribute to projects that improve the image and perception of the
• Muskegon region, including projects that embrace racial diversity and multiculturalism

ENVIRONMENT

• Support environmental education and applied student learning for all age levels
• Promote community strategies that protect and support natural resources, including community-wide recycling and re-use efforts
• Support projects that protect or restore green spaces, shorelines, dune areas and wildlife habitat, water and air quality
• Apply a Smart Growth approach to land use planning and the vitality of central cities, support environmental justice initiatives

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

• Encourage programs that meet the basic quality of life needs of Muskegon County children and youth
• Promote health programs and projects that increase the quality of health care available in Muskegon County with emphasis on the needs of low-income families and children
• Encourage and promote projects and programs that embrace racial diversity and multiculturalism
• Promote healthy lifestyles through education and prevention programming
• Support efforts that address the needs of children from birth through age six, including quality child care
• Support programs that encourage families to succeed and become self-sufficient

EDUCATION

• Support projects that encourage High School completion and success in school
• Promote the importance post secondary education through the Community Foundation scholarship program
• Support opportunities and innovations hat positively impact public and private K-12 education through programs that serve multiple districts

EMERGING COMMUNITY NEEDS

The Foundation recognizes that standard grant making categories do not always encompass all community needs. The Distribution Committee and focused grant committees will to the extent appropriate and possible, accommodate other requests that address important or emerging community issues.

For information on recent grant awards, click here.

Gina Van Bruggen

Arn Boezaart

The Community Foundation for Muskegon County
425 West Western Avenue, Suite 200
Muskegon, MI 49440

Phone: (231) 722-4538
Fax: (231) 722-4616